Kush the red panda has been separated from his mate to avoid breeding.

He has been temporarily removed from his normal enclosure within Curraghs Wildlife Park where his mate Sara and their three cubs remain after being asked not to let them breed this year.

This has been done in preparation for the panda breeding season which usually takes place once a year in early winter for red pandas specifically.

Kathleen Graham, manager at the wildlife park, said: ’A lot of our animals are managed as populations globally - first at a European level through EAZA zoos.

’The Red Panda EEP (European Endangered Species Program) has a clear plan that outlines population aims in terms of size needed to maximise gene diversity and takes into account the availability of space in EAZA zoos.

’This means that many collections get a non-breeding recommendation, which should be adhered to.’

She explained that Kush would be able to breed again but has been prevented from doing so for now.

Ms Graham continued: ’Just because an animal gets a non-breed recommendation it doesn’t mean that it will not get to breed again, therefore temporary contraception is recommended.

’This can be a hormone implant or a physical separation.

’As we tried a hormone implant in the female and it failed last year a physical separation was our safest bet.’

Keepers hope to implant Kush with a contraceptive this year which would mean he could go back to the enclosure before the end of March. Aria, the red panda cub from last year, is due to move to Birmingham conservation centre and plans are currently being made for that.

Ms Graham added: ’With Sarah and her two cubs from this year the main panda enclosure is pretty busy!

’So removing Kush until Aria moves to the UK was also a consideration that made us decide to remove him from potentially breeding, with either females.’

Adult red pandas rarely interact with each other outside of the mating season.

’Pandas are quite solitary animals so this is not really an issue for Kush as outside of breeding it’s not like they hang out much, usually choosing to ignore each other most of the time and sit in different areas of the enclosure,’ Ms Graham said.

Kush is known for his great escapes from the wildlife park, the most recent in January 2020 when he was recaptured in Ballaugh.

It was said that there shouldn’t be any more.

She said: ’We have no worries of him "walking" out of his temporary home, however we know people will comment anyway due to his alter ego!’

Red pandas are an endangered species with somewhere between 2,500 to 10,000 in the wild reckoned to be still declining.

The park has supported red panda conservation via a donation to the red panda network for their ’plant a home’ project where they are planting trees in Nepal to connect panda habitats.

’We will make future donations to this wonderful species,’ she added.